GBPA MARKS HISTORIC VISIT OF ITALIAN AMBASSADOR: Pictured (left to right): Deann Seymour, Chief Financial Officer, GBPA; Ian Rolle, President, GBPA; Emanuele Gariboldi, Honorary Consul General, Italy (who resides in Grand Bahama); Claudio Bisogniero, non-resident Ambassador of Italy to The Bahamas; Sarah St. George, Vice Chairman, GBPA; Ginger Moxey, Vice President, GBPA; and Graham Torode, President & CEO, DEVCO.

Freeport, Grand Bahama –  During the first official visit to The Bahamas and Grand Bahama Island of any Italian ambassador, His Excellency Claudio Bisogniero, non-resident Ambassador of Italy to The Bahamas, paid a courtesy call on executives of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA).  

The visit was seen as a reaffirmation of ties that have existed since the two countries established formal diplomatic relations in 1978.  Discussion centred around Grand Bahama as the industrial capital of The Bahamas, and the island’s capabilities to handle post-Panamax ships that are expected to call in the wake of the expansion of the Panama Canal next year.

“Our main focus is to encourage growth and new investment,” stated Sarah St. George, Vice Chairman, GBPA.  “We are particularly interested in positioning ourselves as a major port and developing business clusters that can provide support services for existing industries.”  

Focusing on Italy’s rich cultural heritage and advanced education system, St. George also encouraged the Ambassador to assist and encourage young Bahamians to travel to Italy for training in fields such as culinary arts, hospitality, and the maritime sector.  

Ambassador Bisogniero was very receptive and promised to promote Grand Bahama Island to a larger pool of industrialists and investors who regularly visit the Washington D.C. offices where he is based.   

“We already have a presence here and we want to expand on that,” the Italian Ambassador noted.  “There are so many ties, so much history and definitely a willingness to do more.”